Chris O'Donnell stars on TNT's The Company with other super-hero grads

Chris O'Donnell's "Robin" was partnered with "Batmen" Val Kilmer and George Clooney in the movies - but he never battled crime alongside Michael Keaton, who brought the Dark Knight to the big screen in 1989, until the two were cast in The Company. The TNT six-hour, three-week mini-series (based on the book by Robert Littell about the early days of the CIA and the Cold War) debuts on Sunday, August 5 at 8 PM.

"Michael wasn't on that long," O'Donnell told TV Squad in a one-on-one interview in a TNT-hosted suite at the Beverly Hilton following a TCA panel for The Company last month. The actor actually shared more screen time with Company co-star Alfred Molina (aka Spider-Man 2's Doctor Octopus). "We all sat around together [at one point] thinking, 'It's two from the 'Justice League' and one [Spider-man] super villain!'"

Why did O'Donnell sign up for the limited series, in which he plays CIA recruit/operative Jack McAuliffe, an idealistic college grad who ages up to his 60s as he works as a spy? "I'm a huge fan of Ridley Scott's [who directed The Company]," says the actor, adding, "It's a fascinating subject matter."

Since his character ages a few decades, O'Donnell actually shaved his head to bring home the hair loss effect that comes with the passage of time. "With HDTV, you can't do a bald cap," he notes. "You have to shave it."

Any chance O'Donnell will reprise his role as Finn the veterinarian/love interest of Meredith's on Grey's Anatomy? O'Donnell says he's asked constantly about this, but says right now he's not checking back in to Seattle Grace.

Then again, given how guarded GA's creator Shonda Rhimes is about such things, O'Donnell might be under a gag order. (Where's Wonder Woman's magic truth lasso when you need it?) "I love how they're so secretive and protective [about storyline on that show]," chuckles O'Donnell.

The actor says that David E. Kelly, whom O'Donnell played a Scott Peterson-type killer for on The Practice, is the same way. "I asked David [if my character] is guilty? He said he didn't talk about that...he [later] told me what was going on, which [always] helps me as an actor."

Next up for O'Donnell is playing the dad in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery on the big screen with Abigail Breslin and Julian Ormond. They've done a few movies [based on American Girls], but they've gone straight to video," O'Donnell says. "These dolls are so popular. My daughter is really excited about it."